BMW to take extreme step and unveil the entire new range of next generation 6-series at North American International Auto Show
- Including the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, Coupe and Gran Coupe
- The cabriolet will go from rest to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds
- All petrol models will have a sports tuned exhaust system
- Dakota, Nappa or Merino leather will be standard in UK
BMW says it's taking the extraordinary step of unveiling the entire range of its next generation 6-series in one fell swoop later this month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
That includes the new drop-top BMW 6 Series Convertible as well as the Coupe and Gran Coupe versions.
They will be unveiled simultaneously on January 9 in freezing Motown before becoming the centrepieces of the BMW stand.
Top speeds are limited electronically to 155mph but the cabriolet will sprint from rest to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds while the M6 version will knock that down to 4.3 seconds.
BMW have taken an extraordinary step by announcing that they will unveil the entire range of next generation 6 series, including the convertible (pictured), at the North American International Auto Show later this month
All three body styles have a choice of highly efficient twinpower turbo six-cylinder and V8 engines linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 3-litre 313 bhp turbodiesel in the 640d models and 3-litre 320 bhp petrol unit in the 640i version are low in emission, as low as 139g/km for the 640d SE Coupe.
The 650i models feature 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo engines. Ultimate performance is from the 560bhp V8-engined M6 variant.
All petrol models have a sportstuned exhaust system with a switch to provide a soundtrack to match the car's performance.
Suspension systems have been honed and can be personalised.
Full LED headlights are standard. There are new 18 in alloy wheels for the Coupe and Convertible, and five new metallic paint finishes . Dakota, Nappa or Merino leather trim will be standard in the UK, depending on model.
The 6 Series and its M equivalents are on sale here from March 1, from £50,000 to £100,000.
Mini unveils its new souped-up John Cooper Works edition in Detroit, while Audi is taking the wraps off its new-generation Q7 sports utility vehicle.
Legendary former Jaguar test driver and works racer Norman Dewis — whose epic through-the-night driving feat from Coventry to Geneva helped launch the original E-Type — has received an OBE in the New Year Honours List.
The sprightly 94-year-old spent 33 years at Jaguar and is widely regarded as Britain's greatest test driver.
He helped develop 25 of its most famous models, including the Le Mans-winning D-type and influential E-type and also set a land speed record for Jaguar and competed in many races for the marque during the Fifties.
Former Jaguar test drives Norman Dewis (pictured) has received an OBE in the New Year Honours List
Dewis is one of the last living links to the post-war golden era of the British motor industry, when Jaguar rebuilt itself into a champion sports car maker.
During his career, he completed more than a million test miles at an average speed of 100 mph-plus and survived high-speed crashes in the days before seatbelts, without ever breaking a single bone. He played a vital role in developing the revolutionary Dunlop disc brake and was Sir Stirling Moss's co-driver in a C-type in the 1952 Mille Miglia.
In 1953 he set a 172.412 mph production car speed record in a modified Jaguar XK 120 in Belgium.
Of all the cars he worked on, he considers the D-type to be the best: 'I got that car up to 192 mph on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans.' More recently at the 2014 Goodwood Revival, he drove one of the 60th anniversary D-types, proving he hadn't lost his touch.
John Edwards, MD Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, says: 'Jaguar owes a huge debt to Norman. His incredible skills have resulted in some of the finest cars this company has ever made.'
BBC Top Gear presenter James May has chosen his 13 'most significant cars of all time' for a special display at The London Classic Car Show.
The result is 'The Cars That Changed The World' exhibit at the show taking place at EXCEL in London's Docklands from January 8 to 11.
They range from the 1886 Benz Motorwagen — the first true automobile — to the 1997 Toyota Prius, described as the 'first mainstream car to rethink the basics of how a car should work'.
Tickets and info at: thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk.
If the prospect of 007's new, purpose-built DB10 in the next Bond film, Spectre, has put you in the mood for some New Year adventure, Aston Martin may have just the ticket.
The Aston Martin On Ice show, promising 'adrenaline-fuelled thrills and luxurious living', takes place in the western town of Crested Butte in the Colorado Rockies at the end of February.
The Aston Martin On Ice show will take place in Crested Butte in the Colorado Rockies at the end of February
The three-day programme includes ice driving, pictured, on a specially created ten-acre ice surface. Exercises include a braking and cornering exercise loop, slalom, skid pad and full circuit driving: 'Under expert tuition, participants will test and hone their car control in a series of braking, cornering and handling exercises before further putting their skills to the test on a milelong frozen road course.'
Prices — which do not include flights — range from £1,280 for a day's driving to a full three-day package with ranch accommodation at £6,400 pp or £1,600pp for a non-driving guest.
Email: concierge@astonmartindriving.com
